Foster carers, just like everyone else, are likely to have many misconceptions about deafness. It’s important to debunk these so carers are equipped with a better understanding before they welcome a Deaf youngster into their foster home. 

It is a commonly held belief that all deaf Children make use of sign language. This is not true. A deaf foster child will want to communicate with their carer in a way that suits them best. Foster carers take note: a child simply needs to be asked! 

Another mistaken belief is that all deaf children are able to lip-read. It is a fact that becoming expert at lipreading requires considerable effort and concentration. Unsurprisingly, this is something that can be tiring for children. Only about thirty percent of lip patterns can be recognised which means there can be quite a lot of guesswork involved in lip-reading. This can be frustrating for deaf children so finding different ways to communicate can be helpful for them.

Advice for communicating with a deaf youngster.

• Find out how they like to communicate.
• Remember to face a deaf child when talking.
• Check not cover your mouth.
• Make sure you have their attention.
• Check a deaf child is aware of the topic of conversation and, importantly, when it changes.
• Be aware if you are eating it will be difficult for a deaf child to lip-read.

Foster an appreciation for music.

Many people think music cannot be enjoyed by deaf people. This is far from the truth. A great many deaf young people – including foster children can get a tremendous amount from music. Hearing aids allow children to access music – sometimes very well. Other children whose hearing may be more severely impaired often enjoy the sound vibrations music generates. It’s worth mentioning Evelyn Glennie the world leading percussionist who is deaf. Glenn is famous for being the first individual to forge a full-time career as a solo percussionist and performing with some of world’s greatest orchestras. Since the page of twelve, Glennie has been profoundly deaf. She is also well-known for being barefoot whilst playing during live and studio recordings. This helps her to feel the music’s vibrations. Find out more about this remarkable, ground breaking musician at – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Evelyn_Glennie

Her story should definitely interest those caring for a deaf foster child: inspirational. And carers’ should be aware technology exists to help children access music. This includes bluetooth devices and other forms of wireless technology that work with cochlear implants and other kinds of hearing aids. It’s important to stress that deaf children can’t hear everything when using hearing aids or cochlear implants. They don’t hear in the same way as children who can hear who process sounds differently.

Deaf children can also enjoy watching television especially when programmes are subtitled. Radio aids can also be used to enhance the listening experience. Something else foster carers should be aware of is the availability of special amplified phones. Text messaging is also an important and convenient means of communication for deaf children. 

Why foster care offers so much?

Rainbow Fostering Services Limited are looking for families and individuals willing and able to provide a loving, caring foster home. Foster carers provide support in a safe and welcoming environment for children who are unable to live with their birth family. Being a foster carer means being there to help a child with all the different aspects of their daily life. Taking young children to school, showing an interest and enthusiasm in all the hobbies and activities. Even taking them on holiday!

The decision to foster is a big step. Fostering has many challenges as well as a lot of rewards. Perhaps the most rewarding thing is to know that by your efforts you will have changed the life and prospects of a child or young person. Rainbow pays its foster carers generous allowances for providing the care and stability children desperately need. Foster carers who access our therapeutic training programmes will have the opportunity to qualify for enhanced payments when they accept a child with high needs.

Call 330 311 2845 if you would like to find out more about a career with Rainbow.

Thinking of fostering? You will need to have a spare room to accommodate a child or young person. And you can foster whatever your status (single, married, divorced, separated), ethnicity, religion, or sexual orientation, At Rainbow, we look for people who are highly motivated. They must be dedicated to supporting g a vulnerable child or young person to reach their full potential.

Our FAQs page is a good resource for answers to questions commonly asked about fostering. http://rainbowfostering.co.uk/frequent-asked-questions/ From our blog series we suggest – http://rainbowfostering.co.uk/foster-care-and-thinking-about-the-resumption-of-contact-1/

The post Foster care for a deaf child or young person 3 appeared first on Rainbow.